Ferdinand was speaking about the run-in for the Premier League title, with Liverpool and champions Manchester City battling it out at the top.

Jurgen Klopp’s men are a single point clear of City but they have a game in hand over them.

Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles at Manchester United, joked that fans have “come out of the wood work” to express their support for Klopp’s men “after 20 years of being silent”.

Liverpool last won the domestic league title back in the 1989/90 season, before it was rebranded as the Premier League, and fans have had to make do with varied success in the Cup competitions since.

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Rio Ferdinand has blasted Liverpool’s closet fans (Pic: GETTY)

And Ferdinand mocked those previously silent Liverpool fans who are ‘starting to speak before they’ve won anything’ and admitted he wanted Manchester City to pip them to the title.

“There’s fans I didn’t even know supported Liverpool that have come back out of the wood work after 20 years of being silent that are starting to speak before they’ve won anything,” he told the Mirror.

“It’d be a lot more painful to see them win the league [over Man City], but listen the best team will win it and whoever that is well done.

“But the better of the two evils is Manchester City winning the league as I’ve seen it, I’ve been part of it.

Ferdinand’s comments came after:

Liverpool have not won a league title for 29 years (Pic: GETTY)

“There’s fans I didn’t even know supported Liverpool that have come back”

Rio Ferdinand

“I’ve seen it as a player and a football fan so I’ve been able to deal with it emotionally.”

When asked how he deals with rival clubs winning the title, he added: “You turn everything off. There aren’t many Man City fans to have a go at me.”